Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Didn't see that coming

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  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Paul Williams,

    Then again, I’ve always thought Gower a bit of a prat and yet his flying visit to Oravida was brilliant stuff…

    He's grown up quite a bit this year. As with anything good ,it takes time. He can be pushy but he does get a few wins and in years to come, I may think he has got there. Gotta say I'm not that impressed with TV reporters. Fisher is a good journo in print. I like Manhire, (?) I see the TV ones as necessary. So for now... Gower is young. I wish him luck.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Internet Mana has posted the video of Dotcom's campaign launch speech.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I think if KDC is going to throw meat around at political rallies, he’s got to expect he’ll attract media attention. If he does want the discussion about policy, best not talk about hacking credit rating systems. That said, I still think Corkery’s response was reasonable.

    The video showed her standing behind the reporters when they were beginning their reports to camera. She started mouthing off behind them to someone else, and then to the world at general. So of course they kept on recording and she kept on going.

    I think she's a terrible choice for their press secretary for any of IMP. They're going to have some wacky moments with the characters that they've got there and the background of the parties and their union. They need a media person who can manage that and put out fires rather than start them.

    Still she gave us a great name for our pub quiz team on Monday night: Puffed-up Glove Puppets of Cameron Slater, which won us a jug of beer.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    The quiz master has limited space in his scoring spreadsheet for long names, so he shortened it to "Cameron Slater is Shit" which we were happy with.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    The quiz master has limited space in his scoring spreadsheet for long names, so he shortened it to “Cameron Slater is Shit” which we were happy with.

    A bit like the printed songlist in a Korean karaoke bar, where You Aint Nothin' But a Hound Dog became You Aint Nothin' But a Ho.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Best Quiz name I came across was “Crouching Cider, Hidden Flagon” much more imaginative and original than “Ream Key”
    Damn, a typo. Of course I mean "Team Key" I really must get around to fixing that one day.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Attachment Attachment Attachment

    Purls before swine…

    (Gower) He’s grown up quite a bit this year.

    Now it can be revealed the secret past that unites the media and the MPs – They seem to all have started off as child Knitting Pattern models!

    Top: Katie Bradford and Patrick Gower?
    Middle: Peter Dunne (back)?
    Bottom: Paula Bennett & Steven Joyce (front)?

    Who better to look after our ‘fair isles’, eh?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Grant McDougall,

    Any ideas why Matthew Hooton has been so open in his calls to sack Collins ? Has he had a falling-out with some of the Nats and their mates ?

    I'd have thought he'd toed the party line, but he's made repeated calls.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report

  • Dismal Soyanz, in reply to Grant McDougall,

    I’m not a fan of Hooten’s but my impression from his pieces in NBR and comments on Nat Rad is that he has consistently been critical of Key and Collins. Maybe he believes in our democratic institutions enough to not want them undermined?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2010 • 310 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Grant McDougall,

    Any ideas why Matthew Hooton has been so open in his calls to sack Collins ? Has he had a falling-out with some of the Nats and their mates ?

    I’d have thought he’d toed the party line, but he’s made repeated calls.

    Possibly, he's smart enough to know she's now one of the biggest liabilities they've got.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Mike Hosking’s characterisation of the Internet-Mana launch is, as you might expect, a work of blithering idiocy from a man who wasn’t there and doesn’t care.

    He’s pretty much 100% party talking points at the moment. Incredible.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    I think she's a terrible choice for their press secretary for any of IMP. They're going to have some wacky moments with the characters that they've got there and the background of the parties and their union.

    I'm not so sure. She's close to many of the candidates, she's well known in the media, she understands politics better than most having been an MP. I reckon this will event will be quickly forgotten though I agree, the pub quiz name is very good.

    I’m not a fan of Hooten’s but my impression from his pieces in NBR and comments on Nat Rad is that he has consistently been critical of Key and Collins

    His comments on Monday were particularly unequivocal. I used to always think Matthew had a long-grame with every comment he made (and he possibly does) but I also got the clear impression he though important conventions were being broken at present and that mattered beyond his loyalties to National (which, he also made clear, were for policies to the right of where Key was navigating).

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Paul Williams,

    I think she’s a terrible choice for their press secretary for any of IMP. They’re going to have some wacky moments with the characters that they’ve got there and the background of the parties and their union.

    I’m not so sure. She’s close to many of the candidates, she’s well known in the media, she understands politics better than most having been an MP.

    It might be useful to point out again that Pam is Harre's press sec only. My Internet Party press releases come from John Mitchell and there'ssomeone else looking after the other candidates.

    Re Kyle's point -- and here I am defending the Internet Party again -- the candidates I know are good, together people who don't need minding. Compared to the Conservative, NZ First and Act lists, they're not really likely to be problematic. I'd pick Sykes and Minto to be more likely to blow up if they made Parliament.

    But I'm hearing that there are some strains in the marriage-of-convenince, especially around policy and branding.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Lumber Jacket, I want one.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Alfie, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Mike Hosking’s characterisation of the Internet-Mana launch is, as you might expect, a work of blithering idiocy from a man who wasn’t there and doesn’t care.

    Maybe it's "attack a German day" or something. Fran O'Sullivan is nailing her colours to the mast in Can't win at politics with a cheque, mate - a shabby attack on Dotcom. Here's the opening paragraph.

    It's ridiculous that the New Zealand political system can be gamed by an international businessman with criminal convictions who bought his way into this country via the Investor Plus scheme. That businessman subsequently avoided extradition attempts. Then bankrolled a new political party to the tune of $3 million to "take down John Key" and is now openly colluding with Julian Assange to drop a political bomb just five days out from the election.

    It doesn't get any better after that. Very tacky!

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Alfie,

    It doesn’t get any better after that. Very tacky!

    Majorityof the comments are priceless with much support. Some are much better than her twaddle.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Alfie,

    They're scared.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • stephen clover, in reply to nzlemming,

    Any ideas why Matthew Hooton has been so open in his calls to sack Collins ? Has he had a falling-out with some of the Nats and their mates ?

    I’d have thought he’d toed the party line, but he’s made repeated calls.

    My reading is that there are factions, and factions, and even factions-within-factions. Exhibit A: the non-successful Rodney hopeful Brent Robinson publicly criticizing Mark Mitchell’s public distancing of himself from Lusk/Slater*. Exhibit B: how careful is Bill English with his words these days? Exhibit C: how many times lately have you heard the phrase “rogue element” from a Nat in relation to the Nats? Exhbit D: Collins: (paraphrasing) “Slater’s my friend and I don’t always agree with my friends but I’m very loyal"nek minnit “I always agree with the Prime Minister.”

    And on and on. From a distance they’re a political party. Up close they’re an accident – or indeed a collection of accidents – waiting to happen. Hooton’s lining up with one of them – and it’s not the same one as includes the PM.

    * Speaking of: knowing what we know, or at least what we think we know.. how is that guy even still in the frame!? Ethics, much?

    wgtn • Since Sep 2007 • 355 posts Report

  • Kracklite, in reply to Grant McDougall,

    Any IDEAS why Matthew Hooton has been so open in his calls to sack Collins ?

    Brand management. Hooton is a brand and this is business for him. He sells himself to his clients as a having broad credibility and needs desperately to be seen to be above all the dirty work, even though he was neck-deep in it - or to put it more bluntly, this rat won't be nailed to the deck.

    The Library of Babel • Since Nov 2007 • 982 posts Report

  • Paul Williams, in reply to nzlemming,

    They're scared.

    Agreed.

    Any IDEAS why Matthew Hooton has been so open in his calls to sack Collins ?

    Brand management. Hooton is a brand and this is business for him. He sells himself to his clients as a having broad credibility and needs desperately to be seen to be above all the dirty work, even though he was neck-deep in it - or to put it more bluntly, this rat won't be nailed to the deck.

    I don't entirely agree, in the past I might have, as I also think Hooton is attracted to being on the right side of this issue (or issues, the firing of Collins, the oversighting SIS).

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Any IDEAS why Matthew Hooton has been so open in his calls to sack Collins ?

    Too many Narcissists in the village ?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

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